


Break Down These Walls and Pull Me Closer

by PastelRaccoon



Category: citrus - サブロウタ | citrus - Saburouta
Genre: At least I hope. I'm bad at this, F/F, Fluff, Not Beta Read, Other tags may be added, Romantic Fluff, Slow Burn, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-01-25 02:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21348706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelRaccoon/pseuds/PastelRaccoon
Summary: Harumi always saw Matsuri as a bit of a brat. But, if she was going to be honest with herself, at least she washerbrat...
Relationships: Mizusawa Matsuri/Taniguchi Harumi
Comments: 97
Kudos: 133





	1. Tag-Along

Harumi was leaning back against the booth’s bench while sipping her drink. Her brow was furrowed with slight frustration as she stared across the table towards the pink haired girl. Matsuri had invited herself along after Yuzu mentioned she was planning a date with Mei. She tried to hang out with Nene as well, but she apparently had some family visiting. So of course she was the only choice left for the mischievous girl. She brushed aside the bitter taste in her mouth with another gulp of her drink.

“Why hang out with me? It’s summer and you could be doing literally anything else. After all, I was just gonna go shopping soon.” Harumi idly stirred her drink. The ice cubes clinked against the glass and she tapped the side to make some of the condensation slide down its exterior. 

Matsuri was holding onto her drink with both hands as she took the straw into her mouth. Her eyebrows knit together when she took a deep gulp, lost in thought. She eventually swallowed and gave the brunette a shrug. “Do I always need a reason?”

Harumi rolled her eyes at her words, but ended up letting out a sigh in defeat. It was obvious to her that if she tried to brush her aside she’d just follow after her anyways. She drained the rest of her drink that made her straw make a high-pitched gurgle. Matsuri followed suit then slammed her glass down onto the table with a satisfied sigh. She frowned at her and gave a sigh of her own.

“At least be a little polite if I’m gonna be stuck with you.” She stood up from the booth with a soft grunt. She slung her bag over her shoulder to make her way towards the sliding doors that led outside. Harumi pulled her sunglasses from the top of her head and placed them over her eyes. Matsuri now stepped up next to her, hands locked behind her back, and she leaned forward a bit.

“So I’m guessing the next stop is whatever clothing store is on your radar for the day?”

“That’s right.” Harumi answered without turning her head. She was greeted with a groan. “Hey, no complaining! You invited yourself along!”

“But it’s just gonna be you tryin’ on outfit after outfit while I just sit there and say if ya look good or not!” Matsuri stuck her hands in her hoodie’s pockets with a huff. It was cut off though with a sudden snicker and a side glance at the older girl. “But maybe I’ll get to see some skin. Wouldn’t that be a treat?”

“Like hell, Matsuri.”

“You're such a party pooper…”

* * *

They finally arrived at the store Harumi wanted to visit after a bit of a walk through the city. The colors inside were almost blinding, but she was clearly unperturbed by the swirling hues. She took off her sunglasses, perched them back atop her head, and pushed her way inside. A small bell chimed when they entered. An employee from behind the counter welcomed them, even going so far as to call out Harumi’s name.

“Huh, she knew your name. You’re a regular here then?” Matsuri mused as she took the sleeve of a nearby shirt between her fingers. She wore a bored expression on her face when she rubbed the material with her thumb. She dropped it with the same disinterest that was behind her eyes.

“That’s right. This store always has the best clothes for decent prices.” Harumi was already rifling through rack after rack of clothing and didn’t bother to look up from what she was looking at. She pulled out a tank top with bold lettering sprawled across it and draped it over her arm. She seemed to have gone off into her own world.

Matsuri let out another annoyed groan before wandering through the various outfits. She looked around at the mannequins and the products that were on display. Suddenly, her eyes fell onto a particular garment that caught her attention. She let out a devious chuckle, walked up to it, and held it out in front of her to look it over.

“Hey, hey. You should totally try this one on.” Matsuri called from the other side of the clothing rack. Harumi could barely see her over the top of it, only able to see the top of her pink haired head. She quirked an eyebrow up before making her way around it to see what she was recommending.

She stopped in her tracks when her gaze fell onto the clothing in question. It was made of a rather sheer, almost translucent fabric that left very little to one’s imagination. A rather wide, devilish grin was stretched across her face when she saw Harumi’s face light up red from her suggestion. However, it didn’t last long as she stepped up close to her, ripped the article of clothing out of her grasp, then brought her open hand down hard onto the top of her head.

The action was strong enough that it forced her head down into a bow. She kept pushing against the back of her head until she was practically folded over. Harumi’s voice came out low and angry in spite of the sweet tone she managed to cover it with.

“Stop screwing around. You know damn well that there’s no way in hell I’d wear this!” With that, she let go of her head and Matsuri shot upright. She was still smirking at the brunette and let out a mischievous cackle that got under Harumi’s skin just as much as her grin. She growled in her direction then shoved the shirt back onto the stand.

“Yeah, but maybe _I’d_ think you’d look good in it.” She gave her a playful wink that only made the other girl angrily sputter. She eventually huffed and turned away to march through the colorful store with her bundle of clothes without another look in her direction. “H-Hey! Wait up!”

Harumi had already slipped inside one of the changing areas when she finally caught up. She heard her drop heavily into one of the plush seats that were just outside. She never knew what was going on inside her head and that bothered her. Why was she always so indecent? It was almost always uncalled for and it irritated her beyond belief. To an extent, she even wondered why she tolerated her sometimes.

“Oh, right. Because of Yuzucchi…” She grumbled and grabbed the bottom of her shirt. She pulled it off and dropped it onto the bench that was inside the booth before shimmying out of her shorts. Yet once she picked up one of the shirts she wanted to try on, she heard a slight thump against the door. Harumi paid it no mind at first, calling out, “Sorry, someone’s in here!”

It went quiet for a moment before a second, softer knock sounded. “I said, it’s-!”

She turned, ready to open the door, until she froze. There, sticking out from the gap at the bottom, was a hand holding a cell phone. She almost screamed until she realized the blue hoodie at the wrist and the unmistakable phone case.

“Matsuri!” She yelled and hurried over to the door. Somehow, she was able to step on her wrist and force her to drop the device with a cry. Now that she was pinned, she pressed down harshly with the arch of her foot until she heard her other hand slam against the floor several times in defeat.

“Okay, _okay!_ You got me! Just lemme go!”

“Hmph! Serves you right!” Harumi kicked her phone farther into the booth with her other foot so it was out of her reach before releasing her. The other girl’s hand shot back under the door and she swore she heard a tiny whimper. She barely stifled a laugh before she went on to scold her instead. “Now behave yourself and I’ll give it back after I’m done here!”

* * *

After deleting the few pictures she managed to snap before she caught her, Harumi returned the phone to a rather grouchy Matsuri. She looked over the electronic device to ensure no scratches or damage were on it then let out a relieved sigh.

“I would’ve been so pissed if you scratched the screen!” She snapped, showing a rare instance of anger for her.

“I’ll make it up to you by treating you to the arcade tomorrow.” She shrugged in response. The rage took her off guard, but Harumi only smirked back at her. She stared down the fiery, pink-haired underclassman with an irritated look of her own. “But let that be a lesson for you for peeping on me.”

“I don’t have to listen to you; you aren’t my mom.” Matsuri crossed her arms over her chest, though she could tell her temper was quickly subsiding. Harumi sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She rubbed the back of her neck then gathered up what she planned on buying in her arms.

“Whatever. I thought you stopped doing that sort of stuff though?”

“I did, but it doesn’t hurt to have some dirt on people, am I wrong?” Her teasing grin returned tenfold. She shook her phone in her hand to draw her attention to it. “You have no idea what sorta stuff I have crammed in here; all of it’s pretty juicy too.”

“If I don’t know what’s on there, I can feign ignorance. So keep it to yourself.” For the second time that day, Harumi rolled her eyes. She finally stepped up to the register to pay for her items. Once finished, she waved to the friendly employee and left with the other girl in tow.

The sun was beginning to set, dying the sky different shades of orange and red. They walked along in relatively peaceful silence towards her home until she stopped at a crosswalk to part ways with Matsuri. But, she seemed to have other plans aside from just a farewell.

“Thanks for the date, Taniguchi-senpai.” Matsuri hummed and managed to slip her arms around Harumi’s neck in a hug. She stood on her toes and, with all of her weight behind it, went to pull her down towards her face. The brunette’s brow furrowed at her obvious antics and she gave her a deep frown.

“Don’t even try it, short-stuff.” Harumi deftly put her hand up to block her advances. Her fingers covered her mouth and she could feel the disappointed frown pulling on her lips behind her palm as she pushed her away. However, the feeling changed to a brief, sharp pain when she felt her teeth dig into the flesh from a light bite. She let out a small yelp, pulled her hand back to her side, and shook it to rid it of the stinging sensation. “What the hell Matsuri!?”

“It got you to let go, didn’t it?” She snickered, covering her mouth. She gave a defeated shrug nonetheless before bringing her hands up to her headphones that were draped around her neck. “Maybe I’ll steal away your first kiss someday. Guess it wasn’t meant to be now.”

Her snicker kicked up into a full blown laugh as she dodged under Harumi’s arm that tried to pull her into a headlock. She left the upperclassman fuming at the corner to wait for the crosswalk to change. She watched the devil of a girl run off in silence before she rubbed her head out of frustration. Matsuri suddenly stopped just before she was out of sight to turn around and wave at her.

“Don’t forget, you promised the arcade tomorrow ‘cause of my phone!”

“I won’t!” She cursed herself, having hoped she had forgotten the promise. “I’ll text ya the time in the morning!”

_‘Ugh, I can’t let her get under my skin.’_ She felt drained from just being around Matsuri. She lost count of how many times she sighed that day as yet another fell from her lips. Harumi draped her shopping bag over her shoulder as the light went green. _‘I’ll just get some sleep for now. At least she can’t bother me at home.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I have no idea how long this is going to be? Think of this as an experiment of sorts for me, I suppose?
> 
> But thanks for taking a look either way ;u;


	2. High Score

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harumi keeps true to her word and treats Matsuri to the arcade.

Harumi was barely awake when she heard her phone chime to let her know she had a text message. She rolled over onto her side and pulled her pillow over her face in an attempt to ignore it. A muffled grunt came from her when another message alert went off a few minutes later.

She pulled the pillow from around her head with an annoyed groan before turning her attention to her phone. The screen’s light lit up her face a bit in the shade filled room. Rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes with her other hand, Harumi looked at the messages.

_7:21 AM_  
_Matsuri: Eyy, you awake yet? Got a time?_

_7:30 AM_  
_Matsuri: C’mon, wake up! Y’know I’m impatient! Plus, you promised, don’t forget that!_

“I should’ve expected this… Does she even sleep?” Harumi grumbled before sitting up with a yawn. Throwing her legs over the side of her bed, she stood up while stretching her arms over head until she felt one of her shoulders pop. A grunt came from her from the crack and she went on to get herself ready for the day.

Harumi quickly brushed her teeth and, stopping for a moment with the brush in her mouth, texted Matsuri back.

_7:35 AM_  
_Harumi: How’s around eleven sound? If we went at noon it’d probably be real crowded..._

She finished picking out her outfit for the day and got dressed, but she was surprised she hadn’t heard back from her almost instantly while she was freshening up. As soon as she thought that, she heard her text message tone go off again. She picked up her phone from her table and took a look at the message.

_7:45 AM_  
_Matsuri: Yeah, that’s fine, but you better bring enough for us to play for a while! See ya later senpai!_

After replying with a quick, generic ‘see you later’ response, she let out a huff before shoving her phone back into her pocket. Harumi pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered to herself, “She’s totally gonna empty my wallet today, I can feel it.”

* * *

Harumi was leaning against the wall next to the arcade’s entrance with her hands shoved deep into her pockets. She eventually sighed, took out her phone, then flicked it open with her thumb. The time read eleven thirty; no texts or calls from Matsuri either. _‘That little brat. And she was so excited for this too, for whatever reason...’_

With an annoyed hum, she slid the phone back into her pocket then stared up at the clear blue sky. If she was going to be honest, she was a bit disappointed that a summer day this nice was going to be wasted inside an arcade. But, she never broke a promise, even if it was one she didn’t particularly want to keep. Harumi huffed and was about ready to just leave until she caught a flash of pink rushing towards her.

“Taniguchi-senpai!” Matsuri ran up to her with a grin, one hand still stuffed into her signature hoodie as the other waved. She soon took off her headphones that were atop her head with her free hand then stuck it into the jacket as well. Her smile quickly melted into a smirk. “I hope you weren’t waiting long?”

“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or just trying to piss me off…” Harumi had to swallow down an angry growl. She instead took a deep breath to calm down the brief flash of irritation before sighing. “It’s fine though, I guess. It looks like it won’t be too crowded today anyway ‘cause of the weather being so nice.”

“That’s why I was in no rush to get here. I decided to take the scenic route and enjoy the sun. Sounds like you didn’t.” The smirk widened and it flashed a few of her teeth in the process. She removed one of her hands from her pocket to shove a thumb towards the door to the arcade. “Ready to play some games then?”

“After you.” Harumi stretched her arm out towards the automatic door and did a small bow. Matsuri only let out a single chuckle before finally stepping into the arcade.

They were immediately greeted by the sounds of different games. Each one called for their attention with their loud sounds and borderline flashy displays. Harumi could make out the simulated gunshots that rang out clearly from the zombie game nearby and the conflicting cheery tune from the UFO catcher that was stationed next to it.

She dug her wallet out of her small bag to fish out a few bills to feed into the change machine. The jingling of the coins that started to drop into the small dish drowned out the rest of the arcade’s sounds, but she paid it no mind as it finished counting out the currency. She carefully scooped up the money then held out her free hand towards Matsuri. She gave her a slightly playful grin before placing her palm in hers.

“Other way.” Harumi ordered, a slight hint of irritation in her voice. With a huff, Matsuri flipped her hand over. The older girl pressed the coins into her awaiting palm. She forced her fingers closed then patted the top of her fist. “There. That’ll hopefully be enough.”

“You underestimate my money spending prowess.” The pink haired girl snickered before darting away to scan the open arcade cabinets.

Harumi rubbed her temples when she felt the beginning of a headache that threatened to bloom behind her eyes. She followed after her with a sigh and watched as she finally picked a cabinet. It had some fighting game characters plastered on its side and she could hear the characters yelling from where she stood. She stepped up behind the smaller girl as she put a couple of coins into the machine.

She noticed her pick a rather large character; one that was at least twice the size of the rest. It almost made her laugh at the contrast of the person controlling him. She placed her hand onto the flat part of the cabinet by the control stick to peer over her shoulder and watch. In doing so, she inadvertently pressed against her back a bit in the process. She thought she felt Matsuri tense a bit, but she brushed the thought out of her head for the moment.

She watched her clear each challenger with little effort on her part. One after another, the CPU opponents were defeated until the music suddenly became intense. A character that clearly looked like the bad guy, since he was completely covered in spikes and skulls, laughed as the countdown started. Almost immediately when the announcer said "Fight!," Matsuri dashed in with a combo.

“Heh, I’m kinda impressed. You’re doing some crazy stuff there.” Harumi chimed in as she juggled the opponent across the screen with ease. She looked down at her and caught the edge of a smile that was on her lips, dark blue eyes still locked intently on the screen in front of her.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

As soon as she said that, she expertly tapped each button to drop the character to the floor and perform a series of hits that seemed to take away large chunks of their health with each blow. Harumi whistled; she knew she couldn’t do anything like that. When the screen flashed them the “Congratulations!” text, she pulled her hand from the cabinet and locked her fingers together to put them behind her head.

“So what’s next? We obviously still have time to kill and coins to spend.”

“Wanna try some of the UFO Catchers? Maybe there’s somethin’ cool in one of ‘em.” Matsuri slid past Harumi, slightly brushing up against her, then made her way to the row of claw machines against the wall. She squinted at the unnecessary touch but followed her nonetheless.

She slowly made her way down the line of machines and peered into each one. There was one filled with gaudy, obviously fake jewelry that she rolled her eyes at. The next one was filled with various anime merchandise, but not many she really knew about aside from the big name titles. After that was one filled with various plushies; some were of different mascots and others just rather generic, cutesy stuff. She was going to pass it up until she noticed one in particular that was sitting on top.

Harumi paused for a moment, debating hard in the back of her head if she really wanted to do this. It might give Matsuri the wrong idea. She groaned loudly then marched up to the other girl that was sliding some of the money into a light gun game since she seemed just as disinterested in the prizes. She held out her hand towards her and said, “Hey, can ya let me have a few of those?”

“Why? These are supposed to be mine now ya know. You gave ‘em to me after all.” Her snide words and devilish smirk made her frown, but she held her ground. Matsuri quickly sighed from her obvious perseverance then stuck her hand into her hoodie pocket. 

“Fine, whatever. I can live without some of ‘em. Here.” She dropped a few coins into her palm and Harumi threw a quick thanks her way before turning on her heel.

Harumi stepped back up to the plushie filled machine and slid a few coins into it. The machine flared to life once she finished paying. Lights started to flash, music blared at her, and the claw jolted a bit to the side to alert her it was able to be moved. She clenched her jaw at the assault to her senses as she focused on the toy that she was determined to win. She held down the first button to move it to the right then the other to make it go up.

She held her breath as it lowered and closed around it. Her shoulders tensed once it was lifted into the air. However, she let out a disappointed huff when it dropped from its grasp and fell back among the other toys. Her eyebrows knit together with determination and she grit her teeth.

_‘One more time…’_ She thought and fed more money into the game.

Harumi focused on the claw and twisted her body to make sure it was lined up just right this time. As soon as she let go of the second button, she felt her body stiffen with anticipation again when it scooped it back up into its claws. Her eyes were locked onto it until it finally dropped it into the awaiting chute.

“Yes!” She knelt down and shoved her hand against the swinging door to retrieve her prize. “Gotcha you little-!”

Suddenly, she felt someone’s arms shoot around her waist and their hands press against the underside of her breasts, pushing them up slightly. She thought she knew who it was already, but the rush of embarrassment didn’t stop as her face and neck went red. The sound of Matsuri’s voice against the back of her ear confirmed her suspicions. “Got what exactly, Taniguchi-senpai?”

“You gotta stop doing that!” She twisted around in her hold and pressed her palm against Matsuri’s face to shove her away. Her other hand was behind her back, holding onto the toy she just won. Her face was still a deep crimson, but it slowly eased down into a subtle pink when she took a deep breath to steady herself. “I saw this in the one machine and it reminded me of you. So… Here.”

She held out the small plush in her hand towards Matsuri and turned her head off to the side to avoid looking her in the eye when she did. It was a small, pink stuffed fox. A white ribbon was tied tightly around its neck and was threaded through a small silver bell that chimed slightly. Little black beads for eyes stared up at her.

She gave her a few surprised blinks before a sly grin curled her lips. Matsuri plucked the little vulpine plush from her hand and Harumi finally turned her head back towards her. It was surprisingly much softer than she was expecting.

“So this lil thing is why you were so insistent on getting some of the money from me? And it was _for me,_ ya say?” She held up the fox in front of her face to better look it over before tucking it under her hoodie and onto her shoulder. Its head poked out from the jacket, paws draped over her collarbone. Her grin widened until she flashed a good bit of teeth. She leaned in towards Harumi and she reflexively took a step back. She bumped into the claw machine and was effectively trapped when she stood on her toes to get close to her face. “Don’t tell me you’ve got the hots for me all of a sudden?”

“I-I told you it’s not like that, damn!” Harumi brought her hands up to grab her biceps and pushed her back until she was at arms length. “It just reminded me of you; that’s all!”

_‘What the hell?’_ Her brain was firing off on all cylinders. Her jaw clenched and she was trying to calm down her sudden frantic heart. She swallowed down the slight knot that was beginning to grow in her throat. _‘It’s just from her taunting you again! Don’t let it get to you!’_

Matsuri narrowed her eyes at her until she finally shrugged and returned her hands to her pockets yet again. Harumi let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding once she seemed to have given up. She released her arms then ran a hand through her hair to collect herself.

“Well, we still have a bunch of change to spend. So, how about it?” Harumi’s mouth tilted into a smirk of her own as she stuck a thumb over her shoulder towards the zombie shooter she knew Matsuri was so fond of. “Bet I can beat your score.”

“Like hell you will! Bring it on!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's bad at actually working on multi chapter things? This one is!  
It took me so long to actually get my shit together and work on this part, oops ;u;


	3. Summer Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matsuri takes Harumi to the park and shares a tiny bit more about herself.

“And that’s how it’s done!” Matsuri’s chest puffed up a bit with pride after she shoved the plastic gun back into its holder for the game. Harumi couldn’t recall how many times they played each game, but she had to admit, it was still a surprisingly fun time despite her not wanting to originally come here. She was a bit disappointed she didn’t win a single game against her though. Despite that, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed herself.

Harumi dug out her phone and pressed the home button on it to check the time. Her eyes widened at what she read.

_‘It’s really almost six? How did we manage to burn nearly six hours here!?’_ She ran her hand through her hair, confusion clearly spreading across her face as she mulled things over. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Matsuri step up next to her and quickly slide her fingertips up her spine. A shiver followed after her hand and she turned to escape her wandering touch.

“Hey, don’t go spacing out on me now. The night’s still young, but I think we’ve spent enough time here. Isn’t that right, Hikari?” She turned her head to the fox plush she still had perched on her shoulder. She took its head in-between her fingers and made it nod. “See? She agrees.”

“Hikari? You named it?” Harumi stopped the sudden scolding she was about to give her then raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah? What of it?” Matsuri frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Nothing! Nothing at all. Just thought it was weirdly cute for you.” She couldn’t stop the light hearted laugh that shook her shoulders once her underclassman’s frown deepened. She fired a warm smile at her nonetheless. “But I think the name suits her.”

Matsuri went oddly quiet for a moment before she turned on her heel and scratched at the back of her head. Was she… _Blushing?_ Harumi couldn’t tell when the pink haired girl dismissively waved a hand at her.

“Yeah, whatever.” She turned so she was smiling over her shoulder at the brunette. Her hand that was still raised waved her forward before she turned towards the door. “But c’mon. I think I know what we could do to kill a bit of time. I don’t think I wanna go home just yet.”

She shrugged and followed after her friend into the cool summer night. Her thumbs were hooked into the loops of her pants while Matsuri’s hands were clasped behind her head as they walked down the street bathed in twilight. Street lamps started to light up one after the other and lit up the sidewalks in warm, yellow light instead of deep purple.

It didn’t take long until Matsuri turned into a quiet, empty park. To their left was a slide that definitely felt like it was bigger when she was younger. A sandbox was tucked away in one of the corners. Then, on the opposite side of that and where Matsuri was already headed, was a tall, metal swing set. Harumi hurried after as the other took a seat on the slightly lower swing. She made a small wave towards the empty swing with one hand while the other gripped the chain to steady herself.

“Take a load off. Let’s just relax for a while.” She smiled just a bit and it almost made her wonder if she was planning something. She never seemed to smile for no other reason.

She narrowed her eyes at the girl before slowly dropping herself onto the swing. She couldn’t remember the last time she came to a park just to relax or hang out with a friend. It felt like years; maybe it was. She mentally shrugged then started to lazily pump her legs to sway back and forth a little.

The sound of cars were few and far between while cicadas chirped loudly for the last time that day. It was all so strangely calming with the cool night air filling her lungs, the familiar sounds surrounding her, and simply enjoying another’s company. She leaned back a bit in her swing then let out a content sigh. She almost didn’t want to interrupt the silence, but there was actually something on her mind. Something she wanted to ask Matsuri for a while.

Harumi gripped the chains in her fingers to steady herself then took a slow, deep breath. She turned her head to address the underclassman. “Hey, Matsuri? Do you mind if I ask you something?”

She slowed down her own swing until she was just barely swaying back and forth. She turned her gaze to the brunette and tilted her head, almost mimicking the plush on her shoulder to a T. “Fire away.”

“Well,” Harumi looked up towards the sky to gather her thoughts one final time. She chewed on the corner of her lip then continued on, “I wanted to know more about your parents. I know you don’t talk about them much and I was curious was all… You don’t have to if you don’t want.”

“...Nah, I think I should. Maybe it’ll make me feel better about it.” Matsuri was looking up towards the darkening sky with her when she answered. Her legs started to pump again until she was in a steady rhythm, but wasn’t going too high or fast so she couldn’t hear her. “My mom and dad both work a lot. They also travel a bunch for their work too, so they’re pretty much never home. I actually can’t even remember when they were home last. I don’t mind it too much though. It’s quiet and I get to do whatever I want.”

Harumi looked over to Matsuri as she slowly swung in her own seat. Her eyes were cast down towards the mulch now and a dejected smile was tugging at the corners of her lips when she let out a bitter laugh. She felt a small part of her chest begin to ache at the lonely expression. She suddenly dropped from her slightly swaying swing and stepped in front of the other.

Matsuri’s eyes widened and she dug her heels hard into the ground to stop herself from crashing into Harumi. The action sent mulch flying as she tried to skid to a halt. However, even though she stopped herself, Harumi took a single step forward to wrap her arms around her shoulders into a hug. The chains of the swing dug into her arms a bit, but she ignored it as she pulled her closer.

“You shouldn’t have to feel so alone, y'know?” Harumi began to mutter against the top of her head. She dug her nails into the skin of her forearms that were locked behind her neck. She swallowed against the dry patch at the back of her throat. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “You have Yuzu, Nene, and hell, even Mei at this point…”

She paused for a moment to clear her throat and her shoulders tensed. “Yeah, and even me. Even though you’re a pain in my ass, you know you can still count on me too.”

Matsuri was silent and she noticed her hands were gripping the chains of the swing tight enough that her knuckles were white. She thought she could feel her shaking against her before she watched her fingers relax. They slowly dropped until they wound around her waist in a hug. She felt her cling to the back of her shirt, her fingers clutching the fabric, before she heard her mumble into her chest, “...Thanks, Taniguchi-Senpai. I think I needed to hear that.”

“Hey, we’re friends, aren’t we?” Harumi gave her a gentle smile even though she couldn’t see it. She finally released her forearms and pat the back of her head. “Also, because we’re friends, you know you’re allowed to call me Harumin.”

“Hm, we’ll see…” She mumbled once more into her chest before going quiet again.

She was still clinging to her shirt however, so she just stood there in the mild chill holding her against her torso. Although, it was kind of nice to have her warmth against her in the cold summer night. Matsuri readjusted herself, her head shimmying side to side a bit, before relaxing again. Harumi didn’t mind it for a moment before she realized she was pressing herself closer to her with her face practically buried between her breasts. She felt her eye twitch with irritation, but she held back. _‘Maybe she doesn’t realize what she’s doing for once?’_

That thought was immediately shut down when she felt her one hand stop gripping her shirt and slide to her waist. Her hand then started to travel up her side; no, she knew exactly what she was doing! _‘I take that back!’_

“Okay, that’s enough, you little shit!” Harumi unwound her arms around her neck and grabbed her shoulders. She shoved her back from her chest with an angry huff. Matsuri’s arms flailed for a moment before she fell backwards off of her swing and onto her back. She winced, hissing a bit through her teeth, but she was grinning up at her.

“Sorry, the temptation was too strong. I never thought I’d get to have my face right between your boobs.” She snickered up at her from the ground. She carefully fixed the plush fox on her shoulder, pulled herself up off the floor, then brushed the mulch that stuck to her skirt with her hands. “I do honestly feel better though. Thanks again… Harumin.”

Harumi’s body became stiff from her finally saying her name. Her brain was practically short circuiting and she wasn’t sure why. That fact alone irritated her beyond belief. Her irritation only became worse when she felt her face turn red and the smirk from Matsuri widened. She wanted to wipe that smug grin off her face.

“Y-Yeah, it’s whatever. I just couldn’t stand seeing you so down in the dumps. What kind of friend would I be if I saw you like that and didn’t do anything?” She crossed her arms with a huff and turned away from her to calm herself. She took one more deep breath then sighed. Once more, she retrieved her phone to check the time. It wasn’t that much later since they left the arcade; it was around six thirty.

Although, a notification that she didn’t notice before was at the top of her screen. When she read who it was from, her blood chilled. Mitsuko’s name was as clear as day for the sender. However, she thankfully didn’t seem mad and Harumi let out a relieved sigh. The message read: _Hey, dinner’s been done for a while. Might wanna get here before it gets cold!_

Then, she could practically feel the light bulb pop up over her head. She turned and flashed a warm, wide smile towards Matsuri.

“Hey, how do ya feel about staying over and having dinner with my sis and me tonight then? I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if I just let you go home after that sad look you gave me earlier.”

Matsuri looked stunned at her proposal. Harumi figured it must have been a while since she was just invited to someone’s place instead of her just barging in like she typically would. She shook her head, her pink hair swaying from the action, before she shoved her hands into her hoodie’s pockets with an indifferent expression on her face.

“Y’know what? Yeah, sounds like it’ll be fun. Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <s>I tried working on this multiple times this week, but Pokemon Shield happened, oof ;;;</s>  
But ey, we're gettin' there folks! Slight sad, more soft! And even more soft to come, I assure you!  
Sorry it was a bit of a short one though! I wanted to split up the park and dinner for a few different reasons uwu;;;


	4. Warm Blankets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After dinner with Mitsuko and Matsuri, it only left Harumi with more questions than answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry if Mitsuko doesn’t come off right. I did my best with what I had ;;;;

“You know, you’re lucky that I decided to make curry today so we have extra.” Mitsuko’s voice clearly rang through the receiver of Harumi’s phone as they started to leave the park. She ran a hand through her hair while her older sister continued on. “You should’ve told me you wanted to bring someone over earlier! I would’ve made something better!”

“Sis, it’s fine. I’m sure Matsuri doesn’t care.” She turned her head to look at the girl in question and all she did was give a nonchalant shrug in response. “Besides, I didn’t think about inviting her over until a little while ago. Something came up where I didn’t really wanna leave her alone.”

At those words, Mitsuko went silent. It stretched on for longer than she expected before she heard a sigh over the phone. She took another moment before she heard her continue on.

“Okay, if it was something like that, then I guess I should ease up on you. At least a little bit.” She heard her let out a single chuckle in the back of her throat. “Just don’t take too long to get back home. I’ll start heating it back up.”

“Thanks Mitsuko. We’ll be there soon. Promise.”

* * *

After a short train ride and a bit of a walk, the two stood in front of Harumi’s house. She dug out her key, unlocked the door, then followed after Matsuri who just walked right in. She expected as much, but it didn’t stop her from sighing at her slightly poor manners.

Immediately, they were greeted by Mitsuko at the doorway. Her one hand rest low on her waist and the other was holding a ladle that was slightly coated with the aforementioned curry.

“Mitsuko, this is Matsuri.” Harumi introduced her with a hint of a smile on her face. It faltered slightly when she stepped up to her and gave her a once over with her eyes. An awkward silence began to steadily fill the room. She soon took a step back and held out her hand.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Harumi. It’s great to finally meet you.”

“Have you now?” Matsuri shot a smirk towards Harumi and took her hand give it a firm squeeze. “I hope it wasn’t anything too awful.”

“In a sense, yes, it was.” Mitsuko couldn’t stop the chuckles in the back of her throat that shook her shoulders. She released her hand to cross her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes towards her. “She’s mentioned your rather… Deviant behavior.”

Harumi gulped. The air was becoming rather heavy between the two and she could tell it wouldn’t end well if she didn’t intervene soon. She stepped in front of Matsuri and gave a rather forced smile to her sister.

“H-Hey, why don’t we talk over dinner and not in the hall? I’ll help you set it up.”

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll get to know her soon enough.” She turned on her heel and waved her hand that wasn’t holding the ladle towards the table. “Do make yourself at home in the meantime.”

Harumi let out a relieved sigh for the time being as she followed behind Mitsuko into the kitchen. It smelled of spices and chicken that made her stomach growl. When it did, she was quickly reminded that she hadn’t eaten all day; same with Matsuri. She couldn’t believe she didn’t even stop for a meal today.

She pushed the thought away for the time being as she grabbed a few plates from the cupboard. She took off the lid to the rice cooker that was on the counter and scooped some onto each plate before passing it over to Mitsuko. In no time, they had the plates ready and spoons carefully perched on the edge of each. Harumi took two and Mitsuko took her own to the table.

She placed one of the plates in her hand in front of Matsuri who shot her a quiet thanks before her eyes locked onto her sister. She sat down across from her and next to Mitsuko.

However, the air quickly became thick and palpable with tension between the other two. Her sister seemed to practically be analyzing the pink haired mischief maker and she seemed to be sizing up the older Taniguchi with a lazy glare. Harumi stared down at her plate of curry. Her spoon was almost bent with how tight her grip had become. She was worried they wouldn’t see eye to eye and an argument may break out. She really didn’t want to deal with that when all she wanted was for them to at least tolerate each other.

“What’re you staring at?” Matsuri’s voice finally broke the tense silence. Her tone was clearly filled to the brim with irritation. She could feel the blood from her face drain and go a bit pale as her eyes flicked up from her plate in horror.

“Hm, no need for such hostility.” Mitsuko calmly answered her snappy question. She took her own spoon and scooped up some of the curry and rice into it. She put the utensil into her mouth and chewed while continuing to look her over with that intense gaze. She could tell Matsuri was at least a little on edge since she hadn’t touched her food since they started eating.

“I’m merely trying to place what kind of person you are and if you have any ill intentions involving my sister.”

“I guess you could say I kinda have _some_ intentions. Just maybe not ill ones.” Matsuri fired a suggestive smirk across the table and Harumi’s eyes widened.

_‘Are you **kidding** me!? Now’s not the time for your perverted jokes!’_

The table suddenly banged when Harumi’s leg shot out under the table to kick her shin. The silverware and glasses clattered on its surface from the force. Matsuri wore a pained expression that made her brow furrow, but her smirk was still ever present.

Mitsuko’s eyebrow raised from their interaction and her lips quirked up into a small smile before a soft laugh took its place. Harumi froze and turned towards her sister with a stunned expression when the laughter became just a bit louder. She lifted a hand towards her face to wipe away a single tear that threatened to spill over from trying to force herself not to laugh. She was grinning now and her shoulders shook with a final chuckle.

“I’m glad to see that you’ve managed to get Harumi to relax more. Don’t get me wrong, she isn’t a complete stickler for rules, I would know.” She paused while putting down her spoon to lace her fingers together. She rested her elbows onto the table and looked back to Matsuri with her intense gaze. “But lately it looked like she had a lot going on. I have no idea what, but I’m glad you could help her take her mind off of things.”

Matsuri blinked at the compliment and looked genuinely confused by her words. She ran a hand through her hair then turned her head off to the side to avoid eye contact with either of them. She rubbed at the back of her neck as if in thought.

“Nah, don’t mention it. I… Like hangin’ out with her. So it’s no problem.”

Mitsuko hummed, leaned back in her chair, then took her spoon back between her fingers. Without another word, she took a bite of her food. Harumi only felt more confused. 

_‘Was that her way of saying she approved of Matsuri? Was she indirectly saying she was happy for me or that she was worried? What did she mean she noticed I have a lot going on? Because I don’t! At least, I don’t think I do?’_

She was pulled from her thoughts by a couple taps to the bottom of her foot. She jolted upright and looked across the table towards Matsuri. A lax smile was on her face and she held a spoonful of curry right in front of her mouth.

“Y’know, you should probably eat your food before it gets cold, _again.”_

“She’s right you know.” Mitsuko chimed in without even looking in her direction.

Harumi fired an angry side glance towards Mitsuko who only continued to smile and scooped up more curry. Her comment only made her more confused before she hesitantly parted her lips to take the spoon into her mouth. She pulled back, slowly chewing while watching Matsuri’s reaction. She didn’t say anything else as she began to finally eat her own food.

_‘I feel like I’m the only one not picking up on something… What the hell is even happening right now!?’_ She swallowed her bite of curry with a frown. After another moment of contemplation, she picked up her spoon to eat as well. _‘Well, whatever… At least they're not jumping down each other’s throats. I think. And that’s probably the best outcome I could’ve hoped for.’_

* * *

“Now then. You two should probably get some sleep. You must’ve had a long day if you were out since noon.” Mitsuko stood up from her seat when they were all finished. She started to gather up the dishes then turned towards the kitchen. “Harumi, you should lend her some of your clothes to sleep in. I doubt she wants to sleep in a skirt and jacket.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I can do that.” That thought had never crossed her mind. She invited her to stay the night and didn’t even think about a change of clothes for her. She cursed herself under her breath then got up from her chair. As soon as she started picking up dishes to help her, Mitsuko waved her hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about that. I can deal with the dishes on my own tonight. You have a guest after all.” She gave her that same, almost warm smile she gave them earlier; like she knew something that she didn’t. “Make sure she’s comfortable and everything.”

“O-Okay, sure. Let’s go then Matsuri.” Harumi nodded and handed her the plate she had in her hands. She was already on her way down the hallway when she stood up from her seat. She fired another one of her signature smirks to Mitsuko.

“Nice meeting ya. I don’t know what she was so worried about. You seem alright to me.” She snickered. Mitsuko gave her a tiny smirk of her own before she hurried to catch up to Harumi and followed along through the hall towards her room.

She opened the door and quickly pointed to the edge of her bed. She spoke up as she made her way over to her closet, pulling that door open as well, then began rummaging through the clothing.

“Just wait there a second. We’ll get you changed before I set up your futon.” She dug out a long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts from inside the closet. She turned back around, placed them into her hands, then turned again to give her a bit of privacy. “Just let me know when you’re done.”

The relative silence that followed felt awkward since the only sounds were of the rustling of clothes. She shifted her weight between her feet to distract herself from the smothering atmosphere until Matsuri finally piped up.

“There. I’m done. Now stop fidgeting like an embarrassed schoolgirl.”

She rolled her eyes at her comment when she turned back around. A snicker immediately got caught in her throat, yet she couldn’t stop the grin that took its place.

“Heh, you look kinda like a kid in my clothes.” Harumi muffled some of her laughter with a hand while looking over Matsuri. Since she was taller and had a larger chest than the other, her shirt was draped awkwardly over her small frame. The sleeves fell past her wrists and the neckline sagged to show some of her collarbones. Her shorts weren’t nearly as bad, thankfully, but they did sag on her hips just a bit. She also took note that while her clothes were folded neatly and placed onto her small table, she was still holding onto the plush she won her in one of her hands.

“What do you expect? You're bigger than me in every sense. What are ya, dense?” She huffed and it only completed the look of a pouting child playing dress-up. She stifled a second bout of laughter that wanted to escape before she went back to digging in her closet for the futon.

Harumi stretched up onto her toes to retrieve the folded up futon and pillow that went with it from the shelf at the top. She took the short end in her hands and unfurled it quickly to shake off any built up dust. She knew it had been a while since she had someone over, so she wanted to be safe. Placing down the pillow, she dusted off her hands then put them on her hips with a self-satisfied grin.

“Alright, you’re all set up. Go on ahead and lay down. I’ll get the light.”

“Do we really have to sleep already? You don’t wanna do _anything_ fun before we sleep?” Matsuri plopped down onto the futon with a mischievous glint behind her eyes and the plush propped up in her lap.

“Don’t start with me. It really has been a long day and I’m not dealing with your jokes anymore.” She let out an annoyed huff as she marched over to the light switch. With a click, her room was plunged into darkness. She carefully made her way through her room so she wouldn’t step on her or run into anything until she made it to her bed.

Harumi pulled up the comforter then slid underneath the warm, soft blanket. A content sigh fell from her lips as she relaxed back into the mattress. She closed her eyes against the gloom. Surprisingly, Matsuri was silent for what felt like an eternity. No rustling, no snoring, not a thing. It felt strange and kept her up for longer than she thought it would. For whatever reason, it made her on edge.

Seconds ticked by into minutes. A few minutes soon turned into an hour and she was still just lying in her bed, completely still- And completely awake.

“Hey, Harumin? You still up?” Matsuri’s voice suddenly cut through the dark. She sounded uncharacteristically serious and it immediately put her on high alert.

“Mhm. What’s up?” She replied, turning her head to face her. She cracked open an eye to look at her even though she could barely make out her silhouette against the shadows.

“Do you mind if I…?” Her words trailed off, but she could hear the futon rustle in the darkness.

Everything went silent until she heard her bare feet make soft pats against her bedroom floor. Without her finishing the question, Harumi felt the blanket that was draped over her body lift up then a weight sink into the mattress. She sucked in a breath through her nose and her shoulders went taut once she felt Matsuri’s warmth right next to her.

Harumi could feel her heart pounding behind her ribs as she pressed herself closer. She curled against her torso with her head resting on top of her chest. Something about her slow, deliberate actions made her on edge and tense. She was sure it was all a ploy to feel her up or some other dirty scheme that Matsuri had become known for.

...But none of that came. All she felt was her arm that she draped around her waist and the soft fur of the fox plush that she seemed to refuse to put down tickle the hollow of her throat along with Matsuri’s hair.

“I just don’t feel like being alone on the floor tonight. That okay?” She mumbled. Her words sounded sluggish and relaxed as if she was going to fall asleep any second.

“Y-Yeah, that’s okay.” Harumi gulped and tried her damnedest to calm her frantic heartbeat. She couldn’t see it in the dark, but she thought she could feel the other smiling at her. The smaller girl settled in just a bit closer then tangled their legs together. She soon took in a deep breath then let out a tranquil sigh. It wasn’t long before her breathing evened out and she was fast asleep while clinging to Harumi underneath the fluffy comforter.

_‘Shit! This is bad! This is so very, very bad!’_ She thought while her heart was still pounding away. Her mouth felt dry, but she couldn’t stop the warmth she felt slowly spread across her face. She wanted to deny how she felt… Happy. Happy beyond her wildest imaginations to have the tiny, devilish girl clutching onto her for dear life. How glad she was that she trusted her enough to let her guard down like this. But also how confused it made her feel underneath it all.

_‘Is… Is this what love is? Is this what Yuzucchi goes on and on about?’_ Harumi’s thoughts continued to frantically bounce around her head. They were like a swarm of bees angrily buzzing inside her mind. It felt like she was about to have a headache. A frown slowly pulled at the corners of her mouth. She barely managed to swallow down a frustrated groan before rubbing her forehead with her free hand that wasn’t pinned to the bed thanks to Matsuri’s placement.

_‘Maybe I don’t know what love really is, but…’_ Her aggravated frown eased into a gentle smile as she looked down at the top of Matsuri’s head. She could hear her muttering something quietly in her sleep. All she was able to make out was her name and it made her cheeks flush a light pink. Slowly, she pressed her face into her hair. The faint scent of her flowery shampoo filled her senses and it strangely calmed her. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and she let out a yawn of her own. _‘But whatever **this** is, I don’t know if I want to let it go…’_

* * *

**Bonus:**

Mitsuko rubbed at her eyes with one hand and gripped a fresh mug of coffee in the other. She let loose a large yawn as she strode down the hallway towards Harumi’s room. She didn’t hear any sound from behind her door, so she assumed they were still asleep. Nonetheless, it was certainly time for her to get up at least. Matsuri was their guest, so she decided she wouldn’t bother her. She grabbed the knob and gave it a twist to open the door.

She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes fell onto the snoozing pair. The comforter was half covering their legs which were clearly intertwined. Matsuri’s arms were around Harumi’s waist while her head was tightly tucked underneath the other girl’s chin and against her chest. However, her sister was the one she was more interested in.

Harumi looked beyond peaceful; it was like the stress and anxieties she normally saw all over her face were completely gone. Her arms were wound tight around Matsuri’s shoulders as if she was trying to pull her as close as possible. Mitsuko’s lips quirked up into a knowing smile before she stepped back out of her room. She took care to shut her door with as little sound as possible.

“I think I can give her a few more minutes.” She muttered to herself before making her way back to the kitchen to start breakfast. She was sure the two would be hungry after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re about to get a lil sappy here folks and I apologize in advance for the length of this!
> 
> First off, I wanted to thank everyone for the lovely comments so far and the _incredible_ support! It’s been mad encouraging to see that people have been excited for this and enjoying it! And it’s especially uplifting because this fic was actually one I was very anxious about putting out there. I can't even begin to describe how much I appreciate it all ;u;  
Second, this chapter was actually part of why I wanted to write this! I had the idea for Matsuri staying the night and just soft bed cuddles, but didn't know where I wanted to go or how to get there. Now here we are! Goal achieved! Now, where to go from here is the new, real question uwu;;
> 
> Also, a special shout out to Sappho82 for hecking half predicting the bed cuddles part way back in chapter one. Oof, it was hard to contain my excitement… I wanted it to be a surprise, so that was certainly a shock uwu;;


	5. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harumi calls on Yuzu for some advice.

Small streams of sunlight cut through Harumi’s room from the slight part in the window’s curtains. The smell of eggs and toast drifted in from the kitchen even through her closed door. She grunted slightly as she slowly woke up. With a yawn, she finally cracked open an eye as she rubbed the heel of her palm into the other. However, her eyes shot open wide when she realized Matsuri still curled up close against her.

She could feel her heartbeat kick back up like it had that night. Harumi hurriedly pulled away and started to back up on the bed. Before she knew it, she had stumbled back far enough that her hand slipped off the edge of her mattress and the rest of her body quickly followed.

She fell off her bed with a yelp and a loud thud that soon followed after. Pain bloomed at the small of her back where she landed hard on the floor. A great groan soon sounded from under her now messed up covers. Matsuri soon sat up, eyes heavy lidded and clouded with grogginess. Her pink hair was sticking up in several different directions. She opened her mouth wide in a yawn that made her tongue curl just a bit. Harumi couldn’t help but compare the image to a drowsy cat. The shirt she had borrowed from her was a bit askew and was pulled slightly off of her shoulder. With a grouchy grunt, she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand.

“What’s your problem, Harumi? I was still sleepin’ y’know.” Matsuri frowned before crawling across the bed to peer over the edge at the other girl still on the floor. She was laying on her stomach with her chin propped up in one of her palms. Harumi’s mouth gaped as she fought to find her voice.

Why _did_ she back away from the other girl? Why was her heart still losing it inside her chest? She had an inkling as to why, but she needed to talk to someone about it. Suddenly, she realized what she had to do if she wanted any sort of peace of mind. But first, she needed to get a bit of privacy. She cleared her throat and sat up so she would be a bit more eye level with Matsuri.

“Sorry, sorry. I just had a nightmare was all.” Her smile that stretched across her face felt a bit forced. Not only that, judging from Matsuri’s expression, she didn’t believe her one bit. She sighed and dropped her hand so her chin fell to the mattress. Their faces were dangerously close now and it made it feel like her heart was caught in her throat. She cleared her throat to break the awkward silence that was threatening to stretch on. “A-Anyway, why don’t you get some breakfast? I can smell Mitsuko’s cooking! I’ll join ya after I brush my teeth an-”

“You’ve been acting weird, Harumin.” Matsuri interrupted. Her deep blue eyes practically saw right through her. Her frown deepened as she stretched an arm out to flick the end of Harumi’s nose. “And not just this morning. You were kinda weird last night too.”

She wrinkled her nose in response to the light flick. She rubbed at it with the side of her index finger before letting out a scoff at her accusations. In reality, she knew she was completely right. She knew she was acting weird and she was going to get to the bottom as to why. But for now, she still wasn’t completely sure. She gave her a nonchalant shrug as her reply.

“I dunno what you’re talking about. You’re probably still tired, and hungry too. C’mon, Mitsuko’s really good at making breakfast.” Harumi shot her a slightly more genuine smile to which Matsuri seemed to accept this time around. She scratched her jaw then sighed, rolling onto her back so she could sit up properly. She scooted to the opposite side of her bed, flung her legs over the side, then stood while stretching her arms high over her head.

“Fine, fine. Let’s go eat.”

“I told you, I’ll be there in a sec. I’m gonna go brush my teeth and all that first.” She finally dragged herself up off the floor with a grunt. She rubbed at her tailbone, still a bit sore from her fall, while she grabbed her phone off of her bedside table. Quickly stepping around her bed to join Matsuri, she opened the door to her room and let her guest out first. “I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Just don’t keep me waiting forever, Senpai.” Matsuri gave her a playful wink before she turned on her heel to find her way to the kitchen.

Once she was sure she was out of her field of vision, Harumi darted into the nearby bathroom. She hurriedly locked the door behind her and leaned back against the closed door. A heavy sigh made her shoulders sag against the wood. She looked down at her phone then frantically started to scroll through her contacts as she ran her other hand through her still messy hair. Slowly, she slid down against the door until she was sitting on the cool tile floor. She eventually found the number she was searching for and she punched in a quick, to-the-point text message to her.

_8:03 AM_  
_Harumi: Yuzucchi. I need some advice_

Thankfully, it seemed like Yuzu was awake. Or, at the very least, she woke her up since she got an almost instant reply.

_8:04 AM_  
_Yuzu: What sort of advice? You know you can always talk to me about anything!_

_8:04 AM_  
_Harumi: It’s… Complicated._

_8:05 AM_  
_Harumi: Listen, can we just talk over the phone? I think it’d be easier than this._

Not long after she sent that last text, her phone began to chime and she hurriedly picked it up just in case Matsuri could hear her in the other room. As soon as she pressed her phone to her ear, she barely got out half of a ‘hello’ before Yuzu’s concerned voice spilled from the receiver.

“Hey, what’s wrong Harumin? Is everything okay?”

“Okay, first, you gotta promise not to make a big deal out of anything. Got it?”

“Are you in trouble or something?” She asked, her tone becoming a bit more serious.

“No, I’m not in trouble! I just don’t know what to do about something and you seemed like the best person to ask about it…” She chewed on the corner of her lip in thought. A second sigh made her slump forward and she brushed the hair that fell in front of her face back into place. “I just need to ask you some things.”

“Alright. If that’s all, then I promise.” Yuzu’s voice softened, much to Harumi’s relief.

“Then lemme ask you this: How? How did you know you were in love with Mei? What did it feel like?”

The line went completely silent for what felt like ages. She wasn’t sure if she was stunned by her question, wondering how to respond, or maybe even both. A good minute or so passed until she heard her let out a slight huff.

“It was… Confusing at first. I felt conflicted and scared, but also happy? I just wanted to see her happy too and I tried to do my best at making her smile.” Harumi hung on every word she was saying. She couldn’t deny how everything she mentioned was pretty damn close to how she felt the past couple of days while she was with Matsuri. Her nerves started to circle restlessly in her stomach as she continued. “Why do you wanna know, Harumin? Are you interested in someone?”

“I don’t know? Maybe? Like I said, it’s complicated…” Harumi brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arm around her legs to hug them close. She groaned loudly into the phone as she pressed her face against them. “I really don’t know what to do Yuzu.”

“Well, if you think you are into them, I’d say the first step is to accept that you do.” Yuzu chimed in with her usual cheery demeanor. “Then once you’ve accepted that, just try to tell them how you feel! The worst they can say is that they aren’t interested, right?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She replied.

_‘Do I really see Matsuri that way? I mean, it would explain a lot. Like why my brain feels like it’s short-circuiting sometimes and how my chest feels tight when I end up in those awkward situations with her…’_ The nerves in her stomach continued to churn as her thoughts raced. She pressed the heel of her palm against one of her eyes with another frustrated groan.

“But why?” Harumi ended up blurting out without thinking.

“What was that?”

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” She scratched at the back of her neck then let out one final sigh. A slight smile pulled on the corners of her lips. Maybe she should just accept it. If Yuzu’s advice had any weight to them, the worst that could happen would be Matsuri telling her she had no actual interest in her. She let out a wistful chuckle as she perched her chin on her knees.

“But hey, Yuzu?”

“What’s up?”

“Thanks. I think you told me exactly what I needed to hear.”

“Don’t mention it, Harumin. Go get ‘em, whoever they are!” Yuzu’s large smile could easily be heard through the phone. Harumi always admired her positivity in a way, and it certainly helped whenever she was so uncertain, like now. “Promise you’ll keep me updated?”

“Heh, of course. Later Yuzu.”

Once they said their goodbyes, she hung up the phone and tilted her head back against the door with a slight thud. She stared up at the fluorescent light in the bathroom and squinted. Her shoulders shook with tired laughter when she slid her fingers through her hair. She then rubbed her face to collect herself.

“Man, what on earth would Yuzu say if I told her who it was?” Harumi moved her head forward then back to bang it against the door. All she could think was that love sure as hell wasn’t black and white.

And it certainly wasn’t easy to accept that she was falling and falling fast. With that, she knew exactly what she was going to do. All she needed was the right moment to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, hey everyone. Oof, this was a bit shorter than I wanted, but what can ya do sometimes ;;;  
Sorry for the bit of a wait this time around compared to when I’d usually update. I was trying hard to keep this as close to a weekly update as possible, but to TLDR it, I’ve been in a rather rough spot emotionally lately. It’s kinda been making it hard to concentrate, let alone actually work on writing ;u;


	6. Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Harumi is off talking to Yuzu, Mitsuko has a bit of a heart to heart with Matsuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **  
_This is from Mitsuko's POV, just as a heads up for the shift!_  
**

Mitsuko stood in front of the stove as she flipped over the bacon inside the pan. The sound of the fat crackling in the skillet nearly drowned out the sounds of Harumi and Matsuri talking in the hallway. She wasn’t able to make out exactly what they were saying, so she shrugged it off and went back to finishing up everyone’s food.

Matsuri ended up trudging alone into the kitchen. Her bare feet made soft pats against the floor and she covered her mouth when she started to yawn. Her eyes were still a bit heavy lidded as she dropped herself into one of the chairs at the table.

“Mornin’.” She mumbled while rubbing at one of her eyes.

“I’m taking it that you aren’t a morning person yourself?” The older Taniguchi asked while finishing up the bacon. She took a couple pieces that were already drained and place them onto a plate. She scooped some of the eggs she had kept warm in a separate pan next to them then placed the finished meal in front of her guest. She turned to retrieve her coffee mug and took a sip as she watched the girl pick up her fork.

“What gave you that idea?” She scoffed.

She placed her elbow onto the table, perched her cheek on her palm, then started to push her eggs around her plate. Something was clearly on her mind and Mitsuko thought she’d get to the bottom of it. After all, she also wasn’t done with her questioning from last night. She took one more sip of coffee then placed it back onto the counter to turn her attention to the pink haired girl.

“Now I know it’s early, but I want some answers.” Mitsuko started as she leaned against the back of the chair opposite of Matsuri. “So cut the crap and tell me. I want to know exactly what my sister is to you.”

“I dunno what you mean.” She shrugged then scooped some of the eggs into her mouth.

“No, I think you know exactly what I mean.” The older Taniguchi stopped leaning against the chair to stand straight and crossed her arms over her chest.

Her intense gaze pierced through Matsuri and she took note of how her shoulders tensed under her stare. She could see the younger girl’s jaw clench while her hands curled into fists on top of the table. She took a slow, steady breath before dragging her eyes up to meet her own.

“I know you care about your sis, but maybe keep your nose out of it?”

“Then you should know that’s exactly why I am making myself get involved. Because if you end up hurting her,” Mitsuko all but slammed her hands flat onto the table between them. A subtle, almost menacing aura surrounded her as she slightly leaned forward. “I’ll take matters into my own hands. Interpret that however you wish.”

“All I’m sayin’ to you is this then,” Matsuri stood from her seat and mimicked her gesture. She pressed her hands onto the tabletop as well to close the distance and get into her face. “I told you last night, I don’t have any sort of plan to hurt her. In reality, it’s kinda the opposite. I don’t want to hurt her.”

Her eyes widened with sudden realization at what she just admitted. The hint of a blush turned her cheeks a light pink when she let out an aggravated huff. She plopped back into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Low, unintelligible grumbling could be heard from her when she stared down at her half eaten breakfast.

Mitsuko watched her for a moment longer until a subtle chuckle shook her shoulders. She pulled out the chair she originally propped herself against then took a seat across from her.

“Listen to me, Matsuri.” She folded her own arms on the tabletop and her voice softened significantly. “It’s a scary thing, being in love. I can understand that.”

“What makes you think that’s what this is!?” She snapped defensively.

“It’s rather clear to me. I can’t quite put my finger on one singular thing that makes me think that, however.” She bit her tongue before she let it slip that she caught them asleep in each other’s arms earlier that morning. Clearing her throat, she continued. “Not only that, you just mentioned you didn’t want to hurt her.”

“And that’s all I meant by that. I’m not exactly the most up-n-up girl, y’know?”

“Yes, I’ve been informed.”

“Then why are you so sure about this!? Why do you trust me!?”

“Because she cares about you too and you both are so dense!” Mitsuko fired back with a frown. Her shoulders sagged with a sigh as she rubbed at her temples. “It seems like Harumi is confused and you’re just scared. But why? Why are you scared? It’s not like she’s threatening or anything.”

Matsuri went quiet at her sudden questions. Her wary, tense stance slowly started to relax before she let out a sigh. She quickly ran her right hand through her still messy hair, rubbed at the back of her neck, then let out a second sigh. She pushed away her plate to drop her head onto the table with a solid thunk and turned it so her cheek was squished against its surface. Deep blue eyes locked onto dark brown. An intense silence stretched between them before she finally spoke up.

“It’s because I don’t want to risk being alone again.” Her words were quiet and Mitsuko had to lower her own head slightly to be able to hear her. “All I did for so long was hurt people. I was damn good at it too. Now I suddenly have people that I actually _care_ about. So what would happen if I unintentionally push away the one good thing- the one good _person_ in my life?”

Mitsuko listened intently to her until she stared back up at her. Another gentle laugh caught in the back of her throat before she reached out. She patted the side of Matsuri’s head and she was nearly comforting the stressed out mess of a girl in front of her.

“I’d say that you being so concerned about messing up shows that you’ve grown. Not only that, you want to be a better person and not cause harm to those you care about.” She stopped stroking her hair to place her chin into her palm. “I’d say that’s a good quality and not something you should be scared about. So focus on how you want to better yourself and not on how you could potentially screw up.”

“Yeah… Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She eventually spoke up after another long pause. Matsuri finally lifted her head off the table and shook it to throw her hair into an even bigger mess. Her typical smirk returned with renewed vigor. “You’re really not so bad, Mitsuko.”

“I try.” She let out one final laugh then leaned back in her chair with a smile. She slowly stood once Matsuri went back to eating her food to prepare Harumi and herself plates. Progress was being made and at least one of them understood this: Love is a messy, complicated, terrifying thing that doesn’t need to be that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [NovaZeroZero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaZeroZero) for the beta uwu
> 
> Oof, hey, how's it going? I didn't abandon this, I swear ;u;  
I'm not too happy with this chapter, in all honesty. I feel like it's too short ;;;  
But I had the idea of Mitsuko helpin' out Matsuri for a while and thought it'd work to have her do that while Harumi was talking with Yuzu over the phone. Hopefully this didn't feel too rushed or something ;;;


	7. Beats Per Minute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harumi walks Matsuri to the train station.

Harumi banged the back of her head one more time against the bathroom door before she finally dragged herself up from the floor. She stepped up to the sink, stared into the mirror above it, and blinked at her reflection. To an extent, she thought she never looked so well rested before. The stress induced bags under her eyes were practically non-existent and she wore a subtle, tilted smile on her face.

“Guess I should actually get myself ready.” She huffed. Harumi grabbed her brush from the small counter top and ran it through her hair to smooth it out. Afterwards, she quickly brushed her teeth, flashed another smile after she was done, then clapped her hands against her cheeks.

“You got this, Harumi. I know you do.” She shook her head a bit after that small pep talk. Taking a deep breath, she turned to finally leave the restroom and join the others. She could feel her stomach tighten into a growl from the smell of Mitsuko’s cooking. As she stepped into the kitchen, she saw her sister and Matsuri sitting across from each other at the table.

Harumi raised an eyebrow at the pair. They seemed far more relaxed around each other than she expected. She brushed it aside for now as she took her seat at one end of the table. Thankfully, Mitsuko already had placed a plate at her seat.

“About time. I thought I told you not to keep me waiting?” Matsuri snickered while skewering the last bit of her breakfast onto her fork and placing it into her mouth.

“I had to take care of something, sorry.”

“Oooh, _taking care of something_ were we? Were you touc-”

Before she could even finish her other sentence, Harumi’s arm shot out to wrap around her neck and pull her into a firm headlock. She squeezed hard until Matsuri’s hands reached up to smack at her forearms.

“God, I get it! Lay off!” Matsuri’s voice came out strained until her arm withdrew. She sucked in a breath, but another snicker shook her shoulders. “Didn’t realize that was such a touchy subject.”

“Of course it is! Don’t you have any shame?”

“None at all. Can’t get to my level without just being totally shameless.”

Harumi sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose, then rubbed at her eyes with a forefinger and thumb. She dropped her hand from her face to finally pick up her fork and start eating. It was a little cold, but she wasn’t surprised. It did take her a bit to talk to Yuzu. She didn’t mind it though as she turned her attention back to Matsuri.

“So when do you wanna head back home?” She asked after swallowing her bite.

“Ugh, yeah, I should get back today. Maybe after you’re done eating.” Matsuri sighed and leaned into her chair. She draped an arm over the back of it when she stared up at the ceiling. “Someone has to watch the house after all. And I guess that someone has to be me.”

Harumi could easily pick up on the slight bitterness behind her words, but she let it slide for the time being. That’d be a talk for another day. She took another bite of food with a hum then tapped the utensil against her plate. A sharp clack sounded each time it hit the glass.

“Hm, sounds fair enough. I shouldn’t be too long then. Want to get your things together?”

Matsuri paused, still staring at the ceiling, then gave her a nod. With a grunt, she stood from her seat. As she passed by Harumi, she smirked and stuck a hand into her hair. She ruffled it up, making it stick out every which way, and thus defeating the purpose of her brushing it. Harumi scowled and twisted around to smack her on her side. Matsuri easily dodged it, stuck out her tongue, then scurried off back to her bedroom.

Silence suddenly pressed down on her once she heard her bedroom door click shut. For some reason, a strange tension surrounded her. She kept her eyes locked onto her plate, taking bite after bite, until Mitsuko finally let out an annoyed grunt.

“Harumi, oh my god.” She chimed in and leaned against the table with her fingers pressing against her forehead. Soft laughs shook her shoulders when Harumi dragged her eyes up from her food. A confused glint flashed behind her gaze as Mitsuko continued. “You’re such a disaster.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s so plainly obvious you’re into that girl.”

“What?” Harumi sputtered and nearly choked on air. “C-C’mon. It’s not that obvious.”

“Ah, so you admit it?”

_‘Shit!’_ She froze. She’d been caught red-handed. Her fingers tightened around her fork and she could feel her face heat up with a slight blush. Another, lighthearted laugh erupted from her sister.

“But what are you going to do about it?”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. What are you going to do now?”

Harumi went back to tapping her plate when she started thinking over her words. She knew she wanted to confess to Matsuri, but how? That was the real question she had. Should she just… Go for it? That’s really the only thing she could think of. The tapping suddenly stopped when she looked back up at Mitsuko with a surprising sense of conviction.

“...I’m gonna tell her. Today.”

* * *

Harumi eventually exited her room after changing. Matsuri was waiting almost impatiently in the living room, kicking her feet out in front of her like a bored child. She bounced up to her feet though once she noticed they were ready. Harumi couldn’t stop the small smile when she noticed the pink plush fox still tucked tightly away in her hoodie pocket.

“Let’s get moving then. It’s still early, so it shouldn’t be too crowded for the train.” She shoved her thumb over her shoulder to motion towards the door. She tilted her head towards the kitchen to call out. “We’re leaving!”

“Alright! Be careful, like always!” Mitsuko’s voice came from around the corner.

Harumi waved a hand above her head as they stepped through the door. They both let out a sigh when the humid, summer morning air pressed against their faces. Matsuri frowned and tugged at the collar of her t-shirt before starting their trip down the street towards the train station nearby.

Birds were still chirping through the air despite it being a bit past nine in the morning. The streets were fairly empty since it was a Monday and the morning rush for work had died down significantly, much to Harumi’s relief. She was enjoying the comfortable silence they settled into.

However, that didn’t stop the insane amount of nerves that had started to coil tight in her stomach. She accepted the fact she cared about Matsuri and she even declared to Mitsuko that she would finally do something about it.

_‘God, what was I thinking? Why did I say I’d do it today?’_ Her fingers twitched at her sides when she held back the urge to stop and frantically run her fingers through her hair. _‘Damnit! I just told Yuzu I had feelings for someone earlier and now I’m suddenly Miss Confidence over here?’_

It was then that she felt her phone buzz in her short’s pocket. Her eyebrows knit together when she dug it out.

_9:15 AM_  
_Yuzu: Hey, still doing okay?_

_9:17 AM_  
_Harumi: Yeah… Barely. I kinda… Decided I’d tell them today._  
_I’m nervous._

_9:17 AM:_  
_Yuzu: Oh my god, Harumin! You got this!_  
_Good luck!_  
_Keep me posted!_

Yuzu must have been beyond excited as she fired off each message one after the other to the point her phone didn’t stop buzzing. Harumi gave a few stunned blinks to her phone’s screen before letting out a chuckle. She slipped the device back into her pocket before Matsuri chimed in.

“What was that all about? That was a lot of buzzing comin’ from you to be anything normal.” She clicked her tongue against her teeth then linked her fingers behind her head.

“It was Yuzu. She’s just excited about some news she got.” That certainly wasn’t a lie and it made Harumi let out another subtle laugh. She was echoed by Matsuri and a slanted grin stretched across her lips.

“Yeah, that sounds like her. Girl has too much energy sometimes.” She let out one final laugh through her nose when they turned towards the station.

It was still a bit crowded; a few businessmen looked at their watches and impatiently tapped their toes for the train. Several students from another nearby school stood off to the side, more than likely going to supplementary classes looking at their dismal expressions. Other than that, it just seemed like people making their everyday commutes.

They both quickly checked the nearby schedule and realized the train Matsuri needed would be there shortly. They found an empty bench in the meantime as they waited for it to arrive. After that, not much happened. A bit of banter here and there, but nothing too deep. Not like Harumi would be able to focus on anything else as her timer was running out. Butterflies frantically fluttered deep in her belly. She had been lost in her own thoughts as the rumbling of the train pulled her free from them.

“Well, guess that’s my ride.” Matsuri said while standing up. She smoothed out her skirt then fired a smile at Harumi. “Thanks for everything, senpai. Let’s do it again sometime.”

As she started towards the train that just screeched to a halt, Harumi’s thoughts were buzzing.

_‘What are you **doing!?** You’re letting her leave before you even said anything!’_ Her brain screamed at her while she was frozen to the spot. She clenched her jaw then suddenly leaned forward on the bench.

“H-Hey, wait a minute!”

Before Harumi could stop herself, she abruptly stood up from her seat. The sudden movement made her trip forward and she barely regained her balance when she reached out to grab Matsuri’s wrist. She felt her tense in her grip then turned around to look back at her. Harumi’s fingers tightened just a bit before she released her, worried that if she kept holding on she would end up hurting her. Instead, she took to rubbing the back of her neck with one hand as the other clenched at her side.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about something really quick. I won’t be long.”

Matsuri raised a curious eyebrow at her then planted her hands on her hips. Harumi clammed up from her almost impatient pose. Her voice got caught in the back of her throat and she had to take a hard swallow before she found her words.

“Actually, I’d… Love to do this again. But maybe as more than just friends?” Harumi winced at her confused sounding confession. Embarrassment started to creep up on her when Matsuri’s eyes went wide with sudden realization.

“Are you telling me… You want to go on a date? Like, an actual date? With me?” Matsuri wouldn’t have been able to hide her surprise even if she tried. Harumi was still struggling with keeping her voice steady, so she nodded in response. Matsuri’s dazed expression smoothed out into her signature, teasing grin. She reached out to brush a thumb along Harumi’s jaw.

“Heh, fine. It’s a date.” Her grin widened when Harumi’s eyes flashed with a mixture of relief and excitement. “Friday good?”

“Oh, uh, yeah! Friday’s great!” She returned Matsuri’s smile.

“Awesome. We’ll talk out details over text later.”

Unable to hide her relief any longer, Harumi eagerly stepped forward to pull her into a hug that lifted her off her feet. She heard Matsuri let out a grunt from the tight squeeze before dropping her back onto the floor. Before letting her go, she muttered into her pink hair.

“See you then.”

Matsuri beamed when she finally stepped into the car of the train. Harumi gave her a small wave once it started down the tracks. Once it was out of sight, she looked around the now empty station. Excitement bubbled up inside her chest until she let out a triumphant yell that half echoed back at her from the walls. She shoved her hand into her pocket to pull out her phone again.

Harumi grinned down at it in her palm. Giddiness spread out from her chest and she felt like she was walking on air. It was like a weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders that she didn’t know was there. She slid her thumb across the screen to unlock it and tapped Yuzu’s message to reply.

_9:30 AM_  
_Harumi: So, I have an update for you!_  
_I wanna talk to you more about this today actually, but..._  
_She said yes!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <s>Writers block sure is fun uwu;;</s>
> 
> I was actually really excited for this chapter nonetheless ;u;


End file.
